Natural Resource Management

Padlock Ranch is located between the Big Horn Mountains and the mixed prairies of eastern Montana and Wyoming. This location provides a mixture of habitat types supporting a great diversity of plant and animal species.
Portions of the ranch support forest resources, primarily Ponderosa Pine Woodlands. The forest resources are managed to produce stand densities that would be similar to what existed prior to settlement. This type of management creates open lands that are resistant to fire and pests, storing soil moisture and reducing erosion.
Wildlife management, beyond good grazing management, requires protection of riparian areas and other critical or special habitats. Protection of riparian areas produces sound stream banks and overhanging vegetation and protects water quality.
At the Padlock, our goal is to meet or improve upon best management practices when it comes to our natural resources.